AirAsia has launched a self check-in service for passengers in Asia.

The service works through the airline’s website, or with mobile apps on Blackberry, iPhone and Android devices.

The apps can be downloaded by searching for the keyword ‘AirAsia’ in the Blackberry App World, iTune App Store and Android Marketplace.

The mobile check-in service is also available for users with GPRS or 3G function on their devices.

Web and mobile check-in is available upon flight booking confirmation and up to 1 hour before scheduled departure for AirAsia (AK)flights. For AirAsia X (D7), check-in will be available upon flight booking confirmation and up to to 4 hours before scheduled departure.

AirAsia Regional Head of Commercial, Kathleen Tan said, “These self check-in options will further enhance the travel experience and free our guests from airport congestions and long queues at the counters. It converts to reduced waiting time and one could travel without worrying about tiresome procedures often associated with air travel. It also helps us reduce our operational cost which we can give back to our guests as savings.”

Using AirAsia’s self check-in is relatively easy. Checking-in via the web just requires travellers to print out their own boarding passes and bring it with them to the airport. Mobile check-in users will be sent a 2D barcode upon confirmation and boarding passes can be printed by using barcode scanners at the airport.

Passengers with baggage just need to proceed to baggage drop-off counters to drop their baggage and verify travel documents.*

Guests without any baggage can go directly to the document check counter and proceed directly to the departure gate.*

AirAsia will continue to provide limited conventional check-in counters at all airports where it operates. However, a check-in fee of RM10 per guest will apply for all flights which bookings are made from 21 September 2011 onwards. The check-in fee is not applicable for bookings made before 21 September 2011. The applies to counter check-in service.

This fee will apply for all AirAsia (AK) domestic and international flights originating from airports in Malaysia. As for AirAsia X (D7), counter check-in charges will apply for flights departing from the airline’s base in Kuala Lumpur and at all airports where the airline operates except in Tokyo (Haneda) & Osaka (Kansai) in Japan, Seoul (Incheon) in Korea and Tehran (Iran).

*Note: We are still verifying just how liberating this new “self check-in service” is.

“In the past, at Bangkok Airport, if you used the self check-in kiosk you still had to queue at an AirAsia counter to have your documents checked, but also more importantly perhaps from AirAsia’s perspective, that they could check your carry-on luggage fits within their strict requirements - and if not charge. Once we have a definitive answer from the airline we will update this page.”